Former New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, left, gives pointers to the San Antonio McAllister Park players during practices at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

Former New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, left, gives pointers to the San Antonio McAllister Park players during practices at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania,

San Antonio McAllister Park players tags are placed on a fence as they practices at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

San Antonio McAllister Park players tags are placed on a fence as they practices at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

Photo: Jerry Lara, Express-News

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San Antonio McAllister Park's Landry Wideman draws a crowd while signing autographs after practice at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

San Antonio McAllister Park's Landry Wideman draws a crowd while signing autographs after practice at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

Photo: Jerry Lara, Express-News

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Cynthia Cardenas, left, and Brooke Taylor watch as the San Antonio McAllister Park players practice at the batting cages during the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012. Cardenas is the mother of Jordan Cardenas and Taylor is the mother of Grant Gomez.

Cynthia Cardenas, left, and Brooke Taylor watch as the San Antonio McAllister Park players practice at the batting cages during the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday,

San Antonio McAllister Park's Kevin Fleisher, 13, left, and Carter Elliott, 13, exit the batting cage after rounding up baseballs at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

San Antonio McAllister Park's Kevin Fleisher, 13, left, and Carter Elliott, 13, exit the batting cage after rounding up baseballs at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania,

Brianna Hartman, 9, left, and Emilee Slotcavage, (cq), 6, from Ashland, Pennsylvania, watch as San Antonio McAllister Park practices at the batting cage at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

San Antonio McAllister Park players gather after practice at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

San Antonio McAllister Park players gather after practice at the 2012 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

Photo: Jerry Lara, Express-News

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Dorm life at LLWS rewarding, boisterous

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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — McAllister Park's All-Stars haven't faced a lot of adversity on the field this summer, going 15-0 in the playoffs and winning their first Little League World Series game.

It's been a little different outside the stripes since arriving here as the champs of the Southwest Region.

For starters, there are the Latin American champs, who share a floor with the Texans in the team dormitories. The kids from Panama apparently can operate without a lot of sleep and don't get enough baseball during practice and games.

The teams stay in a rooming complex called The Grove, which is limited to players and coaches. Parents, media and everyone else are banned.

The Panamanians, several boys told me, play baseball in the shared locker room, using a rolled up, wet towel as a ball and with a catcher in full gear. And they do it after midnight.

“They scream all of the time,” said Ian Anderson. “They scream when they take a shower.”

“And they leave shampoo all over the place,” Sanchez says. “I mean, all over the place.”

Understand the Texans, besides being a focused group of good athletes who perform at a high level, are nice kids. They are genuinely decent young men who are making you proud on a global stage. They sign autographs if asked, and they mingle well.

Other than the noise of the Panamanians, the San Antonio kids love the arrangement, as do their coaches.